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Imagine sitting at the craps table about to place your bet when several masked men enter the casino and with automatic rifles. This is exactly what happened at the Casino Royale this past week in Mexico. A group of six to eight men entered the casino wearing masks and carrying automatic weapons and decided to set the facility ablaze. The men entered the casino and told the customers to leave while they threw gasoline everywhere. The men then set the casino ablaze. Witnesses stated that dozens of people were able to escape through the main entrance before flames caused them to be unable to leave. The rest of the people who were in the casino had to try another exit and those exits were blocked for an unknown reason.
The death toll appears to be about fifty two people but there could be more as the search continues. Several people were burned beyond recognition so it was hard to determine who they were as well as if they were male or female. Rescue workers have been able to determine that at least thirty five of the victims are female.
President Felipe Calderon has called for justice and around five hundred Mexican soldiers have left Monterrey to look for those who did the crime. It is believed the men were in a drug gang. On Friday, Calderon gave a speech on the incident and visibly showed his anger on what had happened. He declared a three day morning period and vowed to bring the men in to face punishment for what they had done.
Calderon stated in his speech: “We are facing true terrorists. They can’t and won’t be the owners of our streets, our cities and our future.” Calderon went on to call for unity of the Mexican society against organized crime. He stated: “We are neighbors, we are allies, we are friends, but you are responsible too.”
It is believed that a drug cartel was involved in the incident. Cartels will move in on casinos and other businesses and they will threaten to burn them down or other harmful ways of punishment if they refuse to pay them. Adrian de la Garza the Nuevo Leon Attorney General stated that a drug cartel was involved but would not name which cartel.
2011-08-27
